Refrigerating method and apparatus



Oct. 30, 1928. Y l 1,689,965

P. w. PETERSEN REFRIGERATING METHD AND APPARATUS Filed 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JN'VENTOR WITNESSES:

Oct. 30, 1928.

P. w.` PETERSEN REFRIGERATING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet WITNESSES Patented Oct. 30, 1928..y

UNITED. STATESl PATENT oEFlcE.

PAUL W. PETERSEN, 0F BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

BI'EIBIIIG' EBA'JJING METHOD AND AP'PABATUB.

Application mea nay 2o, 192s. f serml no. 1.648.

-This invention relates to methods and apparatusv for treatin comestibles and more particularly tomet ods and apparatus for refrigcrating and handling comestibles.

It has been my experience in this field that it is very'advantageous to cool or freeze cer, tain comestibles very rapidl 5 once the process hasbegun. Itis also very esirable to design and arrange the equipment in a manner whereby the various parts of the apparatus are practically continuously in use as is the case when a cyclic form of operation is carried out with the apparatus. Under such conditions very efficient use may be made of both labor and of the refrigerating equipment. y

lVith the above experience in mind, I have accordingly developed a process and apparatus possessing the above desirable characteristics and one particular object of which is to effect a continuous operation of the various steps involved in the refrigeration process and to so proportion the different parts of the apparatus that the o eration thereof can be carried out with a su stantial saving of expense, time and effort.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved method and ari equipment whereby containers filled with the comestible may be immersed in a refrigerating bath, removed to a warming Ibath to release the frozen comestible from the container walls and then emptied. I further aim to provide an equipment of this nature whereby all of F its parts or elements may be not only practically continuously made use of' but also' may be made use of in accordance with a carefully determined cyclic operation of the equip-V ment which also contributes to they efficient use of apparatus and of the operators entire working time.

A further object is to so arrangethe ap-v paratus and equipment that. a saving in volume and area of space may be eiected, withoutin any way detracting from the.

proper operation of the equi ment- Another object is to provi e an improved frame and floorconstruction for use in connection with the reigerating trough embodied in this invention for the purpose of eliminating or greatly reducing. the possibility for drippings of refrigerating liquid from coming into contact with the comestibles refrigerated.

Another object ofthis invention is to provide an apparatus which permits an apl showin proximately uniform speed of refrigeration at the various parts of a large refrigerating trough wherein the comestibles may be dis,- posepreferably in containers.

.A further object of my-invention is to provide a methodandequipment of the above indicated character which is especially adapted to the freezin and handling of comestibles of the nature o fish, although it is to be understood that other varieties of comestibles may be treated by this process and equipment, and hence I do not desire to be limited in any way to the'use of the invention with this particular comestible.

Another object of this invention is to Vprovide apparatus of the character indicated which shallbe convenient and durable in use and economical' and simple in construction.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description, the

accompanying illustrations and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustration and description, one Specific embodiment ofthe inven- -tion is shown in the drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of a refrigerating plant including my improved apparatus,

but taken at right an les thereto.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. f1, v

In a general way, t e equipment embodying the present invention comprises apparatus at- -A- b which comestible containers -fB- may e conveniently filled or packed with the comestible which is toghe cooled or lfrozen. This apparatus will be hereinafter termed a container filling station. A traveling crane or ho1st1n devlce of any suitable and known type 1s indicated aty -C- and provides a mea-ns for moving the comestibles and their containers -B- from one point to another in theicourse of the op'- eration of the equipment..

From the -`container lilhng station .;..A.

lot

the containers -B- may be moved to the refrigerating station -D, which comprises a tank or trough containing a liquid refrigerant in which the containers are immersed. From the rcfrigerating station -D- the containers may be moved to a container warming station -lwhich comprises a tank or trough of water of a temperature sufficiently high to thaw and release the frozen comestible from the walls of the container. From the warming station --E, the containers may be taken to an emptying station -F- from which the contents of the containers are allowed to fall into a trough or body of water at -G. The comestibles may then by floating in the body of Water, pass out of the freezing room into a cold storage room at the opposite side of the Wall -H, as indicated in Fig. 1. The emptied containers may then be returned to the filling station by the hoist, as will be later explained more fully.

The container filling station --A- will now be described more in detail. The fish or other comestibles which are to be frozen may be dumped into a trough 10 where they may be Washed if necessary and from which they may be removed to a rack 11 composed of spaced slats between which the Water may drain into the trough 10. The comestibles may be taken from the rack 11 and packed Within the containers -B. For this purpose, benches 12 and 13 may be made use of in accordance with the process disclosed in the patent to Paul W. Petersen, July 11, 1922, #1,422,126, or in accordance with any other suitable methods. A description of the particular methods of packing the comestibles within the containers is not necessary to the understanding of the precent inven- .tion and consequently will not be here entered into in detail.

After each of the containers -B has been filled at the container filling station -A- they may be transported by the hoist C- to the refrigerating station -D--, zvhlich will now be further described in de- A refrigerating trough is shown at 14, which may be provided with an insulated base and walls of any suitable type, such for example as commonly used in refrigerating troughs for the manufacture of artificial iceand the like. Cooling devices 15 and 16 may be centrally disposed Within the tankY 14 and may be of any suitable known construction, such for example as the usual ammonia cooling units. A motor driven propeller 17 (see Fig. 3) ma serve to circulate the liquid refrigerant wit in the tank 14 through and around the cooling units 15 and 16. The path taken by the4 refrigerating liquid while being circulated is indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 3. As indicated in the illustrations, a frame Work 18 may be mounted over the tank 14 and is provided with a plurality of spaces or openings for receiving the comestible containers -B- and for retaining these containers in their desired position as immersed in the refrigerant during the freezing process.

' It will be noted that certain of the containers when placed within the frame work 18 will be at a greater distance than others from the cooling units 15 and 16. Accordingly, it is desirable in order that uniform freezing may take place Within the various containers, that suitable means be provided to carefully regulate the circulation of the refri erant at the various parts of the tank. n practice, the length of time necessary for freezing the contents of the containers has been found to depend upon both the temperature of the surrounding refrigerant and the velocity of the circulation of the refrigerant in the neighborhood of the container. For example, if the refrigerant in close proximity of the container is of an extremely lovs1 temperature, rapid refrigeration will take place even though the refrigerant is only slowly circulated. However, in order to accomplish refrigeration during an approximately equal length of time with a sli htly higher refrigerant temperature, it is esirable to circulate the refrigerant at a higher velocit in close proximity of the container, and, i possible, to add unused quantities of the refrigerant atA the original low temperature from time to time.

With the above factors in mind, I have designed a system of baffles for use in the trough 14 which permit refrigeration to take place in all of the comestible container spaces or positions at a substantially uniform rate. Transverse partitions 19 and 2O may be provided along each side of the cooling units 15 and 16 in order to confine lthe refrigerant flowing from the propeller 17 to the immediate neighborhood of the cooling units 15 and 16. At the end of the unit 16 a pair of adjacent curved deiiectors as at 21 may be provided, as illustrated, for deflecting the refrigerant from the cooling units in substantially equal amounts to each half of the tank 14, as indicated by the arrows. If desired, the position of the deflectors 21 may be made adjustable so that they may be moved into alignment with one or the other of the partitions 19 and 2O in the event that but one half ofthe tank is bein used. Removable gates as at 22 (indicate by dotted lines in Fig. 1) mav be also provided at the side of the tank ad'acent the propeller 17 for use when but one half of the tank is in operation. The two halves of the tank 14 may be each designed in accordance with the same rinciples. As the refrigerant is defiecte from the detlector 21, it will flow alon the wall 23 of the trough. ,A series of ba es 24, 25 26, etc., may be provided adjacent but spaced initially o desirable in view of the fact that as .slightl away from the wall 23, each succeeding ba e being slightly wider and extending into closer proximity ofthe wall 23. These bailes eachserve to deflecta portion of the flow toward their corresponding rows of comestible containers. Eachsucceeding baffle serves to deflect a small portion of the How that is not deflected by the preceding baffle, so that at the end 27 of the trough, the entire flow will have. become deflected inwardly among. the rows of containers with substantially equal amounts ofrefrigerant deflected against each row.

The refrigerant next flows down along each row of comestible containers in a manner indicated b the arrows in Fig. 3. The velocity and 'rection of flow of the refrigerant is here controlled by a series of batlies 28, 29, 30, etc. The upper edges of these bailles may be all substantlally at an equal height in the containers' will remain almost unaltered intemperature bythe heat givenofl" by the containers, .except as each succeeding baille defleets more and more of this unusued refrigerant upwards into the proximity of and in contact with the comestible containers. The last bailie forces the last of the unusued stream upwardly between the last containers of each row, thereby insuring that all of the brine is used before being returned to the coolers. At the same time-each succeeding baille being Vlarger than the.l preceding, the

flow of re igerant will begmore and more .restricted thus resulting in a higher velocity in the immediate proximity of each succeed-v ing container. This increased velocity is very the refrigerant flows past each succeeding contalner its temperature will begradually raised even though additional quantities of cold refrigerant are beingaddedfrom the stream' below the containers, and accordingly in order to effect freezing within the same period of time at all of the containers, the

increased velocity is utilized inaccordance with the iprinciples above'pointed out to com-` pensate or the slightly higher temperature of thev refrigerant.

` For exam le, in -3 thecontainer 31 is f comparative ylvnearr the cooling unit 16 and aecordingl7 t e refrlgerant inthis region is 'a very low temperature. -While f passing thecontainer 31 however, the refrigerantl temperature will become slightly raised before owin past the container 32. However, the lba e28 serves to slightly restrict refrigrant and in fairly close proximity to `tact with the stringers.

locities upwardly and around each succeeding container. After striking the wall 33 at the side of the trough 14, the refrigerant may return to the circulating propeller 17 to again pass through the above described cycle.

'.lhe frame work 18 may comprise translverse stringers as at 34 and longitudinal stringers as at 35. The stringers 34 may be provided with shoulders 36, upon which the;

top edges of the comestible containers -B may rest. The stringers 34 'and'35 may be provided at each of the container openings with za plurality `of tapered spacing blocks as at 37 which serve to space the open top edges of the containers -B- from direct con- This spacing is sufficient to prevent the flow of refrigerant drip from the stringers into the containers B- and thus possible contamination of the .contents of the containers from this source is avoided. The container tops being spaced from the stringers, the drip is permitted to drain from the stringers directly down into the trough, as indicated bythe arrows in Fig.

4. In addition, a removable cover as at4 38,`

may be provided over each container and is preferably formed with inclined grooves as at 39, permitting any liquid thereon to drain to the stringers 34.y or 35. The covers 38 vtherefore serve to deiiectaway any drip that may fall from other containers 'while being immersed or removed from the tank.

After the comestibles withinthe containers .-B- have been frozen within the refrigeraating station -D- the containers may be removed therefrom by the use of the hoist -C-and theircarried to the warming or be described yin detail. i

A deep elongated trough 40 may be provided with 'a platform 41 at the proper height therein to support the containers B- without permitting the water to enterthe open tops thereof. The platform 41 should preferably be' composed of spaced slats as indicated at 42 (Fig. 1)' in order-to permit the ree and rapid circulation .of water in the tank. 'lhe tank may be filled with ordinary tap water or fairly tepid waterffrom any other desirable source. In order to prevents the rapid` cooling of the water within the trough by the cold containers -B-', it is de sirable to design the tank 40 with substantial depth as herev illustrated in order to proill) vide a large volume of the warm water and to consequently permit a more uniform ternperatuie of the watereven though considerable quantitiesof the water are displaced at intervals bythe cold containers being inserted or removed. Means may be provided as by an inlet 48 and overflows 44 for permitting circulation of water in and out of the trough. The water inlet should preferably be in thc form of a pipe as shown, dis-- charging water at the bottom ot' tank in approximately equal quantities under cach container space thus providing uniform circulation-througliout the trough and resulting in fairly even thawing in all of the comestible containers. If the water is permitted to become too warm in the tank, excessive thawing of the comestibles may take place, whereas if the water becomes too cold a glazing of ice may form on the exterior of the comestible containers. The overflows 44 should preferably be comparatively large and are here shown as extending along the entire longitudinal upper edges of the trough in the form of gutters. large linear dimensions are desirable in order to permit the rapid displacement of the body of water equivalent to the size of the container -B- when such a container is immersed therein. If the water is thus allowed to be rapidly displaced, the danger of the overflowing of water into other containers within the tank is greatly lessened.

My experience has shown that it is desirable to immerse the containers in the warming bath to a depth sufficient to bring the water level as close as posible to the tops of the containers wthout danger of itsiovertlowing into the containers during the immersion orremoval of a container. Obviously, by the use of large overflows, this danger may be greatly reduced, and at the same time the container walls may be immersed to practically their entire height. The desirability of immersing the upper portion of the container arises from the fact that if this portion is left exposed, it not only will fail to become warmed sulliciently to thaw and release the comestibles, but quantities of frost from atmos )hei-ic moisture will gather thereon and furt er greatly hinder the removal of the contents. These facts are especially true when the refrigeration is carried out at exceptionally low temperatures, as best suit my processes. It is thus obvious that a warming tank constructed in a manner to embody the above described features may be conveniently and rapidly used and is especially adapted for use with a refrigerating plant wherein a continuous or cyclic plan of operation is carried out as will be hereinafter described.

After' the containers have remained Within the warming station E- for a sufficient length of time to release the frozen comes- Outlets or overflows of such tibles from adherence to the container walls, they may be removed by the use of the hoist G- to the emptying station -F.

A preferred form of emptying device to be used at the emptying station I is fully shown and described in my copending application entitled Methods and apparatus for refrigerating comestibles, Serial No. 631,932, filed April 13, 1923, and consequently will not be here described except in so far as necessary to the proper understanding of the present invention.

The containers -B- may be clamped in any of two or more emptying devices or frames as at 45 and 46. The devices 45 and 46 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 may be mounted upon trunnions as at 47 and consequently may be inverted thus permitting the comestibles to drop out into a trough of water -G. In thetrough of water G the frozen comestibles may acquire a coatin'g or glazing of ice and at the same time may be floated out of the refrigerating room into a storage room by 1:passing through an opening in the wall In desigriino` the refrigerating station -D- I have found it desirable to provide a number of container spaces substantially e ual to the measure of the period of freezing divided by the measure of the period of a single cycle of operation of the entire equipment. In other words, at least a sufficient number of spaces is provided to permit substantially continuous operation of the entire equipment by following a defined cyclic operation. The spaces ofthe refrigerating station preferably may be operated in rotation in a manner which may be termed progressively cyclic. Whenever the hoist operator places a container in the refrigerant he removes the container-next adjoining and carries this container with the frozen comestible to the thawing station. The thawing or warming station -E- may be conveniently constructed to accommodate three or more containers simultaneously in order to permit two containers to remain therein at all times. The containers thus may be warmed for a period equal to that required for two coinplete cycles of operation of the entire equipment. Whenever a container is removed from the refrigerant to the warming station, the container which has been at the warmin station the longest is thereupon removed and is carried by the hoist to one unit of the emptying station. An empty container already at the other unit of the emptying station then may be removed and de osited at the filling station. A filled container is then moved from the filling station and deposited in the space just emptied in the refrigerating station thus completing one cycle of operation of the equipment. It has been found practical for one man operating the hoist to com plete such a cycle in approximately two minever, in actual practice the time of operation is usually somewhat greater as a result of occasional delays. This does not materially interfere with the proper operation of the process, however, but merely permits a vlonger period of freezing thus insuring a thorough carrying out ofthe process. If desired, more than one containermay be simultaneously transferred by the hoist, in which case corresponding increases in the number of emptying units and warming spaces are made.

While I have described in detail one particular embodiment of the structure comprising my invention and a particular process for using the equi ment, it is to be understood that I desire on y such limitations placed upon my invention as may be required by the prior art and as are set forth in the appended claims. y

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States, is:

l. Apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprising a plurality of portable open top comestible"x containers for insertion into a body of refrigerating liquid, frame members having flanges for engaging each container and mountedover the body of liquid' for carrying vthe weight of said containers while immersed in the liquid, and spaced means for 4 holding the top edges of each container horizontally spaced from ,said frame 'members whereby refrigerant drip fromothers of said rtable containers is prevented from draining into the open top of the container from said members.

2. Apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprising a plurality of portable open top comestible containers for insertion into' a body of refrigerating liquid, frame membershaving flanges for enga g each container and mounted overthe bldy of liquid for supportin said. containers while immersed in the liqui removable covers supported by said frame members over each of said c ontainers, said covers being spaced above the tops of said containers, and spaced means for holding the top edges of each container horizontally spaced from said frame members whereby refrigerant' drip from others of said rtable containers is prevented from draining into the open top of the containerfrom said members.

3. Apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprising a plurality of portable open top comestible containers for insertion into a body of refrigerating liquid, frame members having flange elements for engaging each container and mounted over said body .of liquid for carrying said containers while immersed in the liquid, removable covers supported by said frame members over each of said containers, said covers being spaced above the tops of said containers and formed to permit drainage of refrigerant drip therefrom onto said frame members, and said flange elements including spaced means for holding the top edges of each container horizontally spaced frompsaid frame. members whereby refrigerant drip from others of the portable' containers is prevented from draining into fighe open top of the container fromsaid memers.

4. Apparatus for refrigerating comestibles comprising a plurality ofportable open top comestible containers for insertion into a body of refrigerating liquid, and means over said body of liquid for removably supporting and covering said containers when in an immersed position in the liquid, said means being formed with channels to permit refri erant drip to drain therefrom into said bo y of liquid and to divert refrigerant drip from the open tops of said containers.

5. Refriger'ating apparatus adapted for the reception of a refrigerating liquid, cooling means therein, means for circulating the liquid, a series of bailles for separately controlling the volume of liquid circulating to various areas of said apparatus, and a second' series of bellies for individually controllling'both the local volume of unused liquid and velocity of Vcirculation within various sub-areas in a manner whereby substantially uniform refrigeration may take place at all parts of the body of liquid.

6.' Refri erating apparatus comprising a tank of reig'rigerating liquid, means for cooling the liquid, a plurality of comestible containers immersed in the liquid and spaced from the bottom of the tank, means for circulating'the'liquid within the tank to and from said cooling means and around successive containers, and baflies substantially beneath the level of each of said containers, said baliles being inclinedto deflect upwardly aportlon of the liquid circulating beneath thecontainers.

7. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a tank of refrigerating liquid, means for coolico ing the liquid, a 'plurality of comestible containers remote from said cooling means being of greater area than the ballies at containers near said cooling means whereby a larger amount of the liquid is circulated in the mmediate proximity of the remote containers.

S. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a tank of refrigerating liquid, means for cooling the liquid, a plurality of comestible containers immersed in the liquid, means for circulating the liquid to and from-said cooling means and around said containers, and baffles for detlecting a portion of the circulating liquid into the immediate vicinity of each of said containers, the succeeding baflles at each container more remote from said cooling means being of greater area whereb the effects of the rising temperature of t e circulating refrigerant are substantially compensated for by the resulting increased velocity of the refrigerant past each succeeding container.

9. Apparatus of the character described comprising a tank of refrigerating liquid, means for circulating and'cooling the liquid, a plurality of comestible containers immersed in the liquid and arranged in tiers transversely of the tank with a channel for the flow of liquid from said cooling means longitudinally of the tank, and baffles of various dif; ferent areas at each of the tiers of containers for deflecting between thesucceeding tiers a predetermined portion only of the entire flow in the channel.

10. Apparatus of the character described comprising a tank of refrigerating liquid, means for circulating and cooling the liquid,

y a pliirality of comestible containers immersed in the liquid and arranged in tiers transversely of the tank with a channel for the flow o f liquid from said cooling means longitudinally of the tank, and baliles at each of the tiers of containers for deflecting toward the containers a portion of the flow in the channel, the succeeding ballles at each tier of containers more remote from said cooling means being of greater area whereby the effects of the decreasing flow of refrigerant alonv the channel are substantially4 compensated for by the deflection of larger portions 0f the remaining flow by each succeeding bafile.

11. Apparatus of the character described comprising a tank of refrigerating liquid, means for circulating the liquid, means disposed transversely of said tank and substantially centrally thereof for cooling the liquid, transverse partitions at either side of the cooling means, and an adjustable baille member at the ends'of said partitions for deflecting at right angles to said partitions a predetermined amount of the circulating liquid toward either end of the tank.

l2.' Refrigerating apparatus comprising a subdivided tank with comestible containers and refrigerati fr liquid therein, means for coolingthe liqulid and circulating the liquid in a channel to and from the cooling means and around successive containers, and means adjacent each container for restricting said channel by an increased amount at eac successive container, whereby the velocityr of flow is increased'in the immediate vicinity of successive containers.

13. Apparatus of the character described comprising a tank of refrigerating liquid, means for circulating and cooling the liquid, a plurality of comestible containers immersed in the liquid and arranged in tiers transversely of the tank with a channel for the flow of liquid froml said cooling means longitudinally of the tank, the effective area of said channel being different adjacent each succeeding tier of containers, whereby a predetermined portion only of the entire flow is diverted between succeeding tiers.

14. Refrigerating apparatus comprising a subdivided tank with refrigerating liquid therein, cooling and circulating means there in, and means for controlling the effective area of the circulating channel for each subdivision of the tank.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

PAUL W. PETERSEN 

